sphincter (redirected from Esophageal sphincter)

sphinc·ter  (sfngktr)

n.

A ringlike muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.

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[Late Latin sphinctr, from Greek sphinktr, from sphingein, to bind tight.]

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sphincter·al adj.

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sphincter

Noun

Anat a ring of muscle surrounding the opening of a hollow organ and contracting to close it [Greek sphingein to grip tightly]

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sphincter  (sfngktr)

A ring-shaped muscle that encircles an opening or passage in the body. The opening and closing of the anus is controlled by contraction and relaxation of a sphincter, as is the opening that leads to the stomach from the esophagus.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

sphincter - a ring of muscle that contracts to close an opening anatomical sphincter, sphincter muscle muscle, musculus - one of the contractile organs of the body physiological sphincter - a sphincter that is not recognizable at autopsy because its resting arrangement cannot be distinguished from adjacent tissue anal sphincter, musculus sphincter ani, sphincter ani - the sphincter muscle of the anus musculus sphincter urethrae, urethral sphincter - a striated sphincter muscle that constricts the urethra bladder sphincter, musculus sphincter vesicae - the sphincter muscle of the urinary bladder; made up of a thickened muscular layer of bladder around the urethral opening musculus sphincter ductus choledochi - the smooth muscle sphincter of the common bile duct musculus sphincter ductus pancreatici - the smooth muscle sphincter of the main pancreatic duct musculus sphincter pupillae, pupillary sphincter - a ring of smooth muscle surrounding the iris musculus sphincter pylori, pyloric sphincter, pyloric valve - the sphincter muscle of the pylorus that separates the stomach from the duodenum